Knight in leather armor
by Cindy Ryan
Summary: Pre-movie. There were a few knights still around and Natasha was learning she had one as a partner.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Knight in Leather Armor  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
Pairings: Clint/Natasha  
timeline: pre-movie

Natasha had never seen a throwing star that sharp or small. Barely the size of an American quarter. Since it was tiny the Black Widow hadn't been looking for it. Some how Clint had seen it or more accurately them since there were three in total and tackled her out of harms way.  
Romanoff had the wind knocked out of her as Hawkeye landed on her torso.

They were in Hong Kong and the sun was just setting. The mark they had been after had cornered them on the roof of a parking garage. He'd sent half his gang after them on foot while a sniper fired from a nearby rooftop. She and Hawkeye had taken care of the gang and had turned their attention to the sniper when someone had started throwing the deadly Japanese weapon. Now it was eerily silent.  
At first Natasha thought Clint was playing. He often teased her to get a smile especially when missions went too long. However as Nat tried to pull her right hand up that was trapped between them she felt the blood.

"Clint?"The Black Widow called worriedly as she gently pushed him off of her and sat up.

Barton groaned as he rolled onto his back. It was then Natasha saw where one of the throwing stars had sliced down the center of Hawkeye's leather vest right below his collarbone.

"You do not always have to be so noble."Natasha stated grimly as she gently pried away the ripped leather to examine the wound.

"It's a partner thing."Barton replied weakly as he gripped her right hand to stop the probing. "It's fine, Nat. Just a scratch."

Romanoff shook off his grasp and finished her examination. When they had become lovers Natasha had gained a healthy appreciation for Clint's chest. In fact it was her favorite body part and Natasha was happy to see that the vest had deflected most of the throwing star's impact. It was a cut that would need stitches but not as bad as she had thought.  
In fact it had almost stopped bleeding.  
Barton eased himself into a sitting position

"See."Clint prompted taking her right hand in his once more. "Nothing. I've cut myself worse shaving."

"That was too close."Natasha commented as she glanced around the sedan they were behind.

No movement from the unconscious gang members. No sign of their ninja assailant.

"Yeah it was."Hawkeye agreed as he lightly touched Natasha's left cheek with his free hand. "For a second I thought I hadn't moved fast enough."

Natasha kissed him quickly. "Thank you."

"What partners are for. Any sign of our ninja friend?"Clint asked.

"No "The Black Widow commented as she rose to a crouch. "Think they cut their losses and left."

"We have these guys."Clint replied as he rose to his feet keeping hidden. "We'll get Marrufo."

Natasha picked up one of the small throwing stars that had landed by the left front tire of the sedan. "We can trace these. Can't be too many places that sell them."

"Lets wrap this up and you can buy dinner while we work on plan B."Barton suggested as he glanced at the surrounding buildings there was no sign of the sniper.

"You think your reward should be dinner?"Natasha asked with a grin as she called base for backup to help load the unconscious gang into a transport.

"It's a start."Clint replied returning her smile.

Romanoff shook her head in amusement. She knew he was kidding about getting rewards for saving her life though she'd repay him anyway.  
Much later when they were alone.  
She was just grateful Clint was okay….an inch either way and he wouldn't be.  
It was what he did. Part of who Hawkeye was to be noble and brave.  
There were a few knights still around and Natasha was learning she had one as a partner.


	2. Chapter 2

Clint's POV :)

Title: Knight in Leather Armor  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
Pairings: Clint/Natasha  
timeline: pre-movie

Clint Barton didn't think he and his partner Natasha Romanoff had gotten compliant. Didn't think they'd gotten to the point where an op was routine. He thought they treated each mission like it was new. Even if it was their day to day job Hawkeye hadn't realized they'd fallen into a routine.

Routines were bad.  
It made people make mistakes; deadly mistakes.  
They weren't there yet….their partnership too new.  
That reasoning had almost cost Hawkeye a partner and his own life as well.

Amazing how long a second could be. It was the setting sun that had caused Hawkeye to even see the small throwing stars in the first place.  
Pure damn luck.  
If he'd blinked at the wrong time he would've missed them.  
That simple and that frightening.  
There'd been no time to shout a warning.  
Only time to react.

Even as Hawkeye tackled Nat to the ground he wasn't sure he'd been fast enough. Wasn't sure how many throwing stars there were.  
He knew one had penetrated his vest.  
One had sailed by his right ear.  
The location of the others: unknown.

The only good thing was the gunfire had stopped. Clint wanted to ask if Nat was okay. He could see surprise, confusion  
and a tiny bit of fear in her green eyes. However from the way he had landed it was hard to breathe with her arms pressed into his rib cage.  
Hawkeye could feel blood on his chest but because if was between them he wasn't sure if it was hers or his.  
Correct that Clint wasn't sure if it was her blood and his blood.  
The star had definitely hit him.

Hawkeye hadn't always been the noble good guy. He'd strayed; straddled the line between good and evil. More often than not Clint had let the good guys sway him simply because he hated seeing the innocent suffer. If picking sides meant he could prevent that in the end the fights and battles were worth it.  
What would be worth it today would be the pain he was feeling.  
Hawkeye would endure the pain if it meant he'd achieved his goal and Nat hadn't suffered more than bruises.

Becoming romantically involved with your partner was as bad as the ops becoming routine. Perhaps more so. The person became a liability if things went south. Something for the bad guys to use against you. What he had with Natasha was different than anything Clint had felt in the past with other woman.  
It was a bond in the truest since of the word.

Sure they got on each others nerves just like every other couple. Still when push came to shove she stood by his side and he by hers. So tackling Nat out of the line of fire was just another ordinary thing. Something he'd do again and knew she'd do the same for him.  
Time finally snapped back into reality and Nat pulled her hands free noticing the blood. Clint still didn't have his breathe back, still couldn't talk to ask the one thing he desperately wanted to.  
The fact that she was moving was a good sign. So was the worry in her voice.

"Clint?"The Black Widow asked.

With a groan Hawkeye rolled onto his back as Nat sat up. He felt her frantic movements as her hands searched for a source of the blood. Finally Clint got enough of his breathe back to be able to speak. He glanced down and saw the wound wasn't too bad; not life threatening.

"You do not always have to be so noble."Natasha stated.

That remark caused Clint to grin and he gently captured Nat's right hand stopping her.

"It's a partner thing."Hawkeye replied as she broke his grasp and peeled the rest of his vest away. "See, just a scratch."

Slowly sitting up Clint saw the fear slowly drain from Natasha's face and the professional mask slip back. Still he wanted to reassure her even with the unknown danger still on the roof and the surrounding buildings. Unprofessional on his part but something Clint had to do. He captured Nat's right hand in his once more forcing her to look at him.

"See,"Hawkeye stated calmly. "Nothing. I've cut myself worse shaving."

"That was too close."The Black Widow acknowledged as she glanced around the car they were behind.

Barton took that opportunity to make sure Nat wasn't injured. To make sure the blood on her clothes was his. She was right that had been far too close…..they hadn't had a near death incident in awhile.

"Yeah it was."Clint agreed solemnly."For a second I thought I hadn't moved fast enough."

Hawkeye saw Nat's professional mask falter for a moment and it was back to being Clint and Nat; not Black Widow and Hawkeye.

Natasha leaned in and kissed him quickly. "Thank you."

"What partners are for."Barton replied as they both rose to a crouch behind the sedan "Any sign of our ninja friend?"

"No."Romanoff replied. "I think they cut their losses and left."

As they fell back into work mode Clint realized sometimes routine was a good thing. He took comfort at having Nat by his side. He was lucky to have her as a partner both professionally and personally.

end


End file.
